A storage rack for thin flat objects such as CD's, DVD's and the like has multi-lobe “flower-like” pieces which may be stacked for rotation or non-rotation relative to each other. Each flower typically comprises three radially-directed lobes. Each lobe is divided into an outer portion to support an object, and a smaller inner portion for exerting downward pressure against the flat object and hold it in place. The lobes are positioned so that adjacent levels of lobes are radially displaced for viewing objects on underlying lobes.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A rack for holding and presenting a plurality of thin planar devices, comprising: at least one flower piece, comprising: a flower piece body with a central axis of rotation; at least one lobe radiating from said flower body, said lobe comprising: an outer portion of said lobe comprising a lower support member, said outer portion having a generally planar upper surface for the placement of a thin planar device thereon in contact therewith; an inner portion of said lobe comprising an upper member, said inner portion having a generally planar lower surface parallel to said lower support member surface and spaced upwardly therefrom; wherein said outer portion comprises a peripheral portion of said lobe and said inner portion of said lobe is biased to exert a downward force on said thin planar device on said outer portion of said lobe to hold said thin planar device between said inner and outer portions.
2. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vertical projection of said inner portion lies substantially within the inner boundary of said outer portion of said lobe.
3. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the upper surface of said outer lobe portion is smooth.
4. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the upper surface of said outer lobe portion comprises a scratchless surface.
5. A rack in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said scratchless surface comprises one of soft plastic, fabric, fine-fllament brush, felt and rubber.
6. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising: a base; and means for attaching said flower piece to said base for rotation thereabout.
7. A rack in accordance with claim 6 , further comprising an axial aperture through said flower piece.
8. A rack in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising a base stem attached to said base and insertable in said axial aperture for supportive rotation of said flower piece thereabout.
9. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the number of disk-holding lobes on said flower piece comprises one of two, three, and four.
10. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said lobes on a flower piece are generally coplanar.
11. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said lobes on a flower piece are angled downwardly from said central axis.
12. A rack in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the angle of said lobes with the horizontal is less than about 60 degrees.
13. A rack in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the angle of said lobes with the horizontal is about 5-25 degrees.
14. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising at least one secondary flower piece mounted coaxially with said flower piece.
15. A rack in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising a stem member for joining said flower piece and said secondary flower piece by placement of said stem member in respective axial apertures in said flower piece and said secondary flower piece.
16. A rack in accordance with claim 15 , wherein said secondary flower piece is rotatable relative to said flower piece.
17. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said flower piece comprises: a first level of said lobes and a second axially spaced level of lobes, said second level of lobes radially displaced from said first level of lobes by D degrees, where D equals 360/2N and where N equals the number of lobes per flower piece.
18. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a depressed portion of the outermost portion of each said outer lobe portion.
19. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said inner lobe portions are indented at an outermost portion thereof.
20. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a hole in said inner lobe portion, the position of said hole corresponding to the center hole of an inserted media disk.
21. A rack in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each said lobe is configured to hold and display one electronic media disk.
22. A high-access rack for holding electronic media disks, comprising: a base; at least one flower piece comprising: a flower piece body; an axial aperture through said flower piece body for rotative attachment to said base; a plurality of lobes equilaterally spaced about said flower piece and extending radially therefrom, each said lobe comprising: an outer peripheral portion of said lobe; an inner portion of said lobe, said inner portion separated laterally and vertically from said outer portion of said lobe; and wherein said inner portion is adapted to exert a biasing force against a disk inserted between said inner portion and said outer portion, to retain said disk therebetween.
23. A rack of claim 22 , further comprising: a plurality of flower pieces; and at least one stem member for insertion into said axial apertures to coaxially join said plurality of flower pieces to each other.
24. A rack of claim 23 , wherein all of said flower pieces are rotatable as a unit about said base.
25. A rack of claim 23 , wherein each of said flower pieces is rotatable relative to other flower pieces.
26. A rack of claim 22 , wherein said lobes are angled downwardly from said flower piece body at an angle of about 0 to 25 degrees with the horizontal.
27. A rack of claim 22 , wherein said lobes are angled downwardly from said flower piece body at an angle of about 5 to 25 degrees with the horizontal.
28. A rack of claim 22 , further comprising an indented portion on the outermost portion of each said inner lobe portion, said indented portion generally corresponding to a center hole of an inserted media disk.
29. A rack of claim 22 , further comprising a depressed portion on the outermost portion of said outer lobe portion for finger manipulation of a media disk.
30. A rack of claim 22 , wherein said rack is configured to hold and display all of CD's, CD-ROM's, mini-CD's, DVD's, video game disks, and 3 inch computer disks.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 7, 2003
July 27, 2004
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